As a public service, NEWS of the WORLD reprints The FUNNY STUFF FUNNIES, an educational comic book giving basic facts on drugs and alcohol. Each post reproduces a page from the booklet, which is aimed at young persons and which avoids sermonizing and excessive wordiness.
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Tap phone images for better views.
Addiction is shown by what happens when you suddenly stop using some chem or other (go "cold turkey").
The brain-body goes from feeling good while high to feeling rotten while deprived of the drug or alcohol. Your brain-body goes from one extreme to the other, from a pleasurable high to a nasty low.
Consider the case of opioids like opium, morphine, heroin, fentanyl and various prescription pain pills and cough syrups.
Opioid withdrawal
You may have any of these situations, where you can go from
A sudden halt to drinking can be very dangerous to an alcohol addict.
A range of symptoms are possible, including:
Signs of meth withdrawal include,
Ellen: Jolene
The long arm of addiction
People who think they have beaten addiction can face flashback cravings that trigger a relapse. Something in the surroundings reminds the brain of its previous condition and it snaps back to its addict mode.
Once an addict or alcoholic has stopped using or drinking, the mind can be pretty blurry for maybe three to six months.
Are you mokus?
"Mokus" is slang for "mind out of focus" and refers to alcoholics and addicts in the first stage of recovery. Do you see yourself in the items below?
In some cases, the brain's circuitry has gotten so messed up by alcohol or a drug — or some combination — that longterm treatment in an institution is necessary. Younger persons can land in this boat surprisingly fast.
Do your friends and your friends' kids a favor, and post one or more Funny Stuff links on social media.
The brain-body goes from feeling good while high to feeling rotten while deprived of the drug or alcohol. Your brain-body goes from one extreme to the other, from a pleasurable high to a nasty low.
A person who is really hooked on alcohol or some other drug may face a tough time quitting safely. Suddenly halting its use may bring on dangerous hallucinations and delusions, convulsions and death. Treatment at a medical detoxification unit may be in order. Some people really need to "go to detox" before they cease use entirely.
Opioid withdrawal
You may have any of these situations, where you can go from
✓ Feeling really smooth to feeling really bummed out and in need of another hit of the chem.
✓ Numbness to pain.
✓ Dry mouth to sweating, runny nose, wet eyes, drooling and vomiting.
✓ Constipation to diarrhea.
✓ Slow pulse to rapid pulse.
✓ Shallow breathing and suppressed cough
to excessive yawning and coughing.
✓ Pinpoint pupils to very big pupils.
✓ Sluggish to super-jumpy with muscle cramps.
✓ Relaxed and chilled out to anxious, restless and unable to sleep.
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Alcohol withdrawalA sudden halt to drinking can be very dangerous to an alcohol addict.
A range of symptoms are possible, including:
✓ Headaches
✓ Anxiety
✓ Shakes
✓ Insomnia
✓ Fatigue
✓ Major mood shifts
✓ Digestive problems
✓ Pounding or fluttering heart
✓ Raised blood pressure
✓ Fast heart rate
✓ Overheated body
✓ Rapid abnormal breathing
✓ Hallucinations
✓ Seizures (that may lead to death)
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Crack and meth withdrawalSigns of meth withdrawal include,
✓ Red and itchy eyesSigns of crack withdrawal include,
✓ Fever
✓ Anxiety
✓ Shakes
✓ Nausea
✓ Mild paranoia
✓ Hallucinations
✓ Agitation
✓ Excessive sweating
✓ Increased appetite
✓ Low energy and fatigue
✓ Lack of motivation
✓ Trouble sleeping
✓ Decreased sexual pleasure
✓ Suicidal thoughts
✓ Severe depression
✓ Dehydration
✓ Depression
✓ Irritability
✓ Extreme fatigue
✓ Increased appetite
✓ Increased need for sleep
✓ Vivid, unpleasant dreams
✓ Anxiety
✓ Severe drug cravings
✓ Psychosis
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Dolly: JoleneEllen: Jolene
The long arm of addiction
People who think they have beaten addiction can face flashback cravings that trigger a relapse. Something in the surroundings reminds the brain of its previous condition and it snaps back to its addict mode.
Once an addict or alcoholic has stopped using or drinking, the mind can be pretty blurry for maybe three to six months.
Are you mokus?
"Mokus" is slang for "mind out of focus" and refers to alcoholics and addicts in the first stage of recovery. Do you see yourself in the items below?
✓ Fuzzy thinking and at a loss for the "right" words.You don't have to have all these symptoms to be mokus.
✓ Messed up memory.
✓ Get mad or bummed out way too fast.
✓ Your mood is on a crazy roller coaster.
✓ Can't sleep right.
✓ Often dizzy and so clunky you can't hold
a cup of coffee without spilling it.
✓ Managing stress is not your thing.
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Addiction can be very tough to beat, and often requires support from other recovering addicts and alcoholics. In many cases, it's hard to draw a line between mental obsession and physical compulsion.In some cases, the brain's circuitry has gotten so messed up by alcohol or a drug — or some combination — that longterm treatment in an institution is necessary. Younger persons can land in this boat surprisingly fast.
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W. Zevon: Werewolves of London
The author of The Funny Stuff Funnies takes sole responsibility for the content of this e-booklet. This booklet has not been sponsored, either directly or indirectly, by any government or non-government organization or fellowship, such as AA or NA.
Go to NEXT page.
Find table of content for Funny Stuff Funnies at this link.
The Lunapic image editor contributed greatly to this booklet's pictorial enhancement. Other image editors used were Palette and Petalica.
Go to NEXT page.
Find table of content for Funny Stuff Funnies at this link.
The Lunapic image editor contributed greatly to this booklet's pictorial enhancement. Other image editors used were Palette and Petalica.
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